No curfew from January 21 if Covid situation improves

The Catalan government expects to end the curfew in force on January 20 if the Covid-19 situation improves.

In a press conference on Tuesday after the weekly cabinet meeting, spokesperson Patrícia Plaja said that the 1 am to 6 am curfew in municipalities with high Covid rates may no longer apply from the early hours of January 21, when the current regulations expire. 

6.5 million residents in Catalonia have been under nightly stay-at-home orders since December 24.

Plaja said that, despite the fact that the recent Covid transmissions are still "excessive," a slow down and a possible future improvement in the situation are being detected. If this trend is confirmed, the curfew will be lifted in ten days' time. 

Current Covid restrictions

If the government decides to keep the curfew or the 10-person cap on gatherings after January 20, the Catalan high court (TSJC) will have to greenlight it because it limits individual rights and freedoms.

Other measures currently in force that do not need judicial go-ahead include a 50% capacity limit in the indoor seating areas of restaurants (no capacity limit on outdoor terraces), as well as a 70% capacity limit in gyms, and similar indoor sports centers, stores, and cultural venues, such as cinemas, concert halls, and theaters. Mourning sites and funerals at the moment also accept only 70% of the usual capacity, while nightclubs remain closed.

Covid-19 health passes are still required for entry into restaurants and gyms.